The New England Patriots made a massive splash earlier this offseason with their signing of Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams.
Following a standout performance in the Super Bowl to be a force on the Philadelphia defensive line to take down the Kansas City Chiefs, the Patriots clearly saw enough out of Williams to give him the bag, giving him a massive four-year, $100 million contract, effectively coming to fortify New England's defensive interior for years to come.
But for Williams, he didn't come to New England just to be a physical force on the field, but also came into the mix to be a culture changer and a leader for what the Patriots are trying to build.
During an interview with ESPN insider Mike Reiss, Williams sounded off on how he's taken on his new role as a veteran leader in New England, making it clear he wants to lead by example, however he can.
"I'm trying to lead by example," Williams said. "Hopefully, the guys will see me working and they'll want to follow suit. Trying to bring everyone along to what we're trying to build here."
Early on in the Patriots' OTAs, Williams has accomplished just that. Reiss goes on to note how New England's offseason signing has been a regular participant in the team's voluntary offseason program, and even making a strong impact on tenured veterans in the building like fellow defensive lineman Christian Barmore.
Williams not only comes into the building plugging a major hole on the defensive interior to capture attention from opposing offensive lines, but he also brings that necessary juice in the locker room as a nice leader paired with strong toughness –– something new head coach Mike Vrabel is undoubtedly searching for in his new cast of players.
It's early, but the Patriots are seeing some great signs for what's to come from their newest defensive star.
